COLLEGE SPORTS: Adrian hockey teams finish sweeps

The Adrian College women's hockey team made it nine power-play goals in the last two games by scoring six more Saturday during an 8-1 rout of Ausgburg College.

Following a 3-for-3 effort on the power play Friday night, the Bulldogs (9-3) went 6-for-11 with a player advantage Saturday, setting a school record for power-play goals in a game.

The Bulldogs scored four goals in the opening period, all roughly four minutes apart, led by the first goal by Hannah McGowan at 4:02 getting assisted by Alix Vallee and Courtney Millar. Vallee scored four minutes later on the power play while Millar and Devyn Fitzhenry assisted on the score, and Fitzhenry also scored a power-play goal at 12:51 as Kristin Lewicki and Michelle Jones assisted.

Adrian showed its versatility and depth by scoring a shorthanded goal at 17:47 of the first when Lewicki found the back of the net with Lauren Turner picking up the assist.

Fitzhenry scored her second goal of the game at 3:35 of the second period — Adrian's only even-strength goal of the game — and Kelsey Kusch's assist paved the way for her to score the next goal a minute later for the Bulldogs on the power play with Vallee and Danielle Smith getting the assists.

Smith and Kusch would score on the power play in the third period as Adrian took an 8-0 lead. The Auggies (3-8) scored at the 15:17 mark of the third to avoid the shutout.

Jade Walsh started in goal for Adrian to earn the win before giving way to Brooke Gibson as the two combined for 24 saves. Adrian outshot Augsburg 36-25.

MEN'S HOCKEY

Adrian College 4, Buffalo State 3: At Buffalo, N.Y., Adrian's defense bent, but didn't break, giving up two third-period goals to the Bengals before recording the non-league win and improving its record to 12-0-1 on the season.

The Bulldogs took control of the game in the second period when Rob Heath and Josh Ranalli scored less than a minute apart to break a 1-1 tie. Brent Sauve, Pat George, Chris Leone and Justin Basso picked up assists on the two goals.

Ranalli's power-play goal 45 seconds into the third period gave Adrian a 4-1 cushion as Basso and Ryan Lowe assisted Ranalli's goal. The Bengals then scored twice, at 3:13 and at 8:49, pulling them with one at 4-3.

James Hamby was credited with 22 saves to earn the win for Adrian.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Siena Heights 78, Madonna 55: At Adrian, the host Saints used a huge rebounding advantage and 17 points and seven rebounds from Alexxis Knannlein off the bench to record the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference win.

Siena Heights ups its WHAC mark to 5-4 and overall record to 11-5, while Madonna is now 4-4 and 6-9, respectively.

Page 2 of 2 - The Saints scored the first nine points of the game but had to overcome a stretch that saw Madonna rally to tie the game at 16-16 on Chelsea Williams' layup with 6:12 to play in the first half. Knannlein scored the Saints' final five points of the first half and helped her team lead 33-23 at the break.

A Tori Duffey free throw pulled the Crusaders within two points at 36-34, but Siena Heights responded by scoring the next 11 points to boost its lead back to 47-34 on Knannlein's layup with 13:06 left in the game. The Crusaders would never get within single digits again.

The host Saints (6-11, 2-7 WHAC) found themselves in an 8-0 hole in the opening minutes of the game, but the Saints would narrow their deficit to a couple at 21-19 midway through the half on a layup by Cogan. The Crusaders bumped their lead up to 46-31 by halftime.

Slowly but surely, the Saints clawed their way back to challenge Madonna, and with the help of a 14-point run and Webster’s jumper at 9:57, Siena Heights was back within two points at 59-57. Webster knocked down a 3-pointer 50 seconds later to pull his team within a single point at 61-60, but Madonna would go on an 11-0 run to make it 72-60 with 5:26 left.

Siena Heights committed just 14 turnovers in the game, but Madonna made the most of its chances by scoring 28 points off those miscues.

The Saints shot 50.8 percent from the floor (33-for-65) but sent the Crusaders (10-6, 6-2 WHAC) to the foul stripe too much as Madonna hit 27-of-32 free throws to Siena’s 11-for-14.

Vince Schantz led Siena Heights in rebounds with nine, while Edward Cold dished out seven assists.